The ICR denied the statements of the Ministry of Economic Development Alexey Ulyukaev's defenders of his innocence to extortion and receiving a bribe in the amount of $ 2 million.

As the representative of the ICR Svetlana Petrenko told Interfax, traces of special substance from marked money were found on the Minister's fingers.

"On the disposal of the investigation there is a number of tangible evidence, including materials of operative-investigative activities, audio and video recordings and the testimony of witnesses," - the representative of the ICR said noting that high-profile case details are not disclosed in the interests of the investigation. Earlier, the lawyer of the accused Timofey Gridnev rendered to the investigation words of his client that his detention was a provocation.

As for the traces on the Ulyukaev’s fingers, a few hours earlier Novaya Gazeta shared a curious version citing its own sources in the ICR, according to which the Minister of Economic Development did not touch the money allocated to him. The edition wrote that the bribe was kept in a safety deposit box, but Ulyukaev did not pick up the money.

Recall that the Minister of Economic Development Alexey Ulyukaev was arrested the day before on suspicion of taking a large bribe for the Rosneft’s assistance in the privatization of Bashneft’s state-owned shares. Today, with regard to the former Minister, whom the President has recently removed from his post in connection with the loss of confidence, the court chose a measure of restraint in the form of house arrest.